Manager Steve Evans reckons he would have been ashamed to assemble the current Peterborough United squad.

Evans let rip at previous management teams after watching his side slump to a 3-1 defeat at Shrewsbury tonight (April 24). It was fourth League One defeat in a row for a Posh side who looked favourites for a play-off place after beating local rivals Northampton Town on Easter Monday - they haven’t won since.

Evans, who is confident the Posh fans will be singing his name in a positive way next season, blasted individual errors at both ends of the pitch for tonight’s result. He also claimed a squad he inherited is mentally weak. He was without top scorer Jack Marriott as well as creative star Marcus Maddison because of injury this evening.

Posh led 1-0 at the break through a Gwion Edwards goal. Edwards was one of the few players to escape criticism from the manager.

“Previous management teams might be satisfied with 61-64 points in a season, but it’s not acceptable to me or my chairman,” Evans stated.

“I would be embarrassed to have assembled this squad when promotion from League One was the target. Posh should have had better sides in the last few years given the investment the chairman has put in.

Danny Lloyd of Peterborough United in action with Aristote Nsiala of Shrewsbury Town. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.

“What happened tonight is what happens when players have an easy life. It’s been like a Sunday club here when football is actually a rough old game.

“Posh fans will judge me next season when I have had time to sort this squad out. My real journey with this club and this chairman starts after the Portsmouth game.

“The owners all know the targets I have in mind and they will support me. I will build a team that the Posh fans will be so proud of they will be singing my name next season and more importantly they will be singing the players’ names.

“We were in command of this game, but we threw it away. We couldn’t have created better chances for Leo Da Silva Lopes, Danny Lloyd, George Cooper and Joe Ward and then we gave goals away by making errors we have been making all season. It’s the same players as well. It was suicidal defending.

“There were some wonderful performances from Gwion Edwards and Andrew Hughes, while Anthony Grant worked very hard, but I will apply the necessary standards to all the players ready for next season.

“I cannot fail to improve this squad. I would have to be asleep for six days a week not to do that. I live in this city and I work for the Posh fans. That work will start properly when we leave Fratton Park on the last day of the season.”

Marriott has a foot injury, but should be fit enough to play against Fleetwood at the ABAX Stadium on Saturday (April 28).